"Send the rider" can mean two very different documents. The technical rider describes what the artist needs on stage. The hospitality rider describes what they need off stage. When the two are mixed together, vendors dig through catering requests to find the drum kit, and venues miss technical requirements buried between dressing room notes. This guide explains what belongs in each and how to keep them clear.
The technical rider
The technical rider covers everything needed to perform the show. It usually includes:
- Stage plot: a diagram showing where each musician and piece of equipment goes
- Input list: every signal that goes to the mixing console, such as each microphone, DI box, and line input
- Backline: instruments and amplification the artist needs supplied
- Monitoring: wedges or in-ear mixes, and how many
- Sound and lighting requirements, if the artist has specific needs
- Power: what's needed and where on stage
- Stage requirements: risers, space, and anything that affects the layout
- Crew: whether the artist brings technicians or needs local ones
- Schedule needs: soundcheck length and changeover time
The audience for the technical rider is the venue's production team, the sound and lighting crew, and backline vendors.
The hospitality rider
The hospitality rider covers the artist's comfort and logistics around the show:
- Dressing rooms: number, size, and furnishings
- Catering: meals, dietary requirements, and drinks
- Towels, water, and other items for the stage and dressing room
- Accommodation, if the promoter is providing it
- Ground transport
- Guest list allocation
- Security for the dressing room or the artist
The audience for the hospitality rider is the promoter, the venue's hospitality staff, and anyone arranging catering, hotels, or transport.
Why the separation matters
When the two are combined:
- Vendors miss things. A backline company quoting the show needs the gear list, not the catering preferences. If the gear is spread across pages, something gets missed.
- The wrong people get the wrong information. A caterer doesn't need the input list, and a sound engineer doesn't need the dietary requirements.
- Updates go wrong. When one combined document changes, it's hard to tell whether the change affects the stage or the green room.
Keeping them separate means each party gets a document they can act on.
How to split a combined rider
If an artist sends one document covering both:
- Pull out the stage plot and input list into the technical section.
- Pull out every piece of equipment into a backline list, one item per line. Our guide to writing a backline rider vendors can quote shows the format.
- Move everything about rooms, food, drinks, transport, and guests into the hospitality section.
- Check items that could go either way, such as stage water and towels, which usually go in hospitality but matter on stage.
- Confirm the split with the artist's team, so nothing is lost and both documents are current.
What goes where: a quick reference
Technical rider
- Drum kit, amps, keyboards, DJ equipment
- Microphones, stands, DI boxes
- Monitors and in-ear systems
- Stage plot and input list
- Power and risers
- Soundcheck and changeover time
Hospitality rider
- Dressing rooms and furnishings
- Meals and drinks
- Towels and water
- Hotel and ground transport
- Guest list
- Dressing room security
Who receives which document
- Venue production manager: technical rider, plus any hospitality items the venue provides
- Sound and lighting crew: technical rider
- Backline vendors: the backline list from the technical rider, with show details
- Promoter: both, since they often coordinate hospitality and confirm the technical side with the venue
- Caterers and hotels: the relevant parts of the hospitality rider
When you request backline quotes, send only the gear list and show details. In Los Angeles you can send one request to several backline rental companies and compare their quotes side by side.
Items that fall between the two
Some requests don't fit neatly into either document. Common examples:
- Stage water and towels. Usually listed in hospitality, but the stage manager needs to know where they go.
- Setlists and stage lighting for reading them. Often noted in the technical rider.
- A quiet room for warming up. Hospitality, but it affects the schedule.
- Storage for instrument cases. Technical, though it's often solved with a dressing room.
- Laundry or wardrobe needs. Hospitality, but costume changes can affect the running order.
When an item crosses over, put it in the document of the person who will provide it, and mention it in the other if it affects their work.
Riders for different show sizes
A rider written for a large tour often doesn't suit a small club or a private event. Rather than sending a document the venue can't meet:
- Keep a full version for larger venues and festivals
- Keep a reduced version for smaller rooms, listing only what's essential
- Make clear which items can be substituted or dropped
A reduced technical rider is especially helpful for backline: it tells vendors which pieces matter most. Our guide to backline substitutions explains how to state acceptable alternatives.
A practical sending routine
For each show:
- Send the full technical rider, stage plot, and input list to the venue's production contact
- Send the hospitality rider to the promoter and the venue's hospitality contact
- Send only the backline list and show details to backline vendors
- Keep track of who received which version, and when
- If either rider changes, send the update to everyone who received the earlier version
Keep both riders current
Riders get reused from tour to tour and show to show, and they drift out of date. Before each tour or one-off show:
- Confirm the lineup and update the stage plot and input list
- Update the backline list for this show's needs
- Check the hospitality rider against the actual touring party
- Add a version date to each document
Put the date and the artist's name in the file name as well as on the first page. When a venue says they're working from "the rider," you can check in seconds whether it's the current one. Old versions tend to circulate for years, so make the current one easy to recognize.
Riders and contracts
A rider is often attached to the performance contract, which can make its terms binding on the promoter. That makes clarity important: vague requests lead to disagreements. If a requirement is essential, say so; if it's a preference, say that instead. This applies to both riders.
A note on reasonable requests
Riders work best when they're specific and reasonable. Technical requirements that match the venue's size and the show's budget get met. Requests that ignore the venue's capabilities lead to long negotiations. When you advance the show, use the venue's tech pack to check the technical rider against what's realistic; see how to read a venue tech pack and how to advance a show.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a technical rider and a hospitality rider?
The technical rider covers what's needed to perform the show, such as the stage plot, input list, backline, and monitoring. The hospitality rider covers off-stage needs like dressing rooms, catering, accommodation, and transport.
Who needs the technical rider?
The venue's production team, the sound and lighting crew, the promoter, and backline vendors. Backline vendors only need the equipment list and show details.
Should riders be separate documents?
Yes, or at least clearly separated sections. Separation lets each party find what they need and makes updates easier to track.